UPDATE: UPS, FedEx Scramble To Deliver Delayed Christmas Packages

NBCNEWS.COM - Two of the nation's biggest package shippers hit the road Thursday,
scrambling to deliver boxes to angry customers who didn't receive the
gifts they ordered in time for Christmas.

UPS and FedEx, under
fire for failing to deliver Santa's packages in time for the holiday,
blamed the delays on weeks of bad weather and higher demand from soaring
online sales.

UPS did not make pickups or deliveries on
Christmas Day, but brought in extra workers on Christmas night to the
company's hub in Louisville, Ky., to sort packages for Thursday and
Friday deliveries, a spokesperson for the company told The Associated
Press. Some FedEx customers were able to pick up packages at local FedEx
Express centers on Christmas Day.

Both companies, pummeled on social media by negative comments from furious, gift-less customers, issued apologies.

"The
volume of air packages in our system exceeded the capacity of our
network .... We apologize," UPS, which was plagued by more shipping
problems than FedEx was, said in a statement. FedEx echoed that apology,
calling the volume an "extraordinary event."

Sen. Richard
Blumenthal, D-Conn., demanded UPS provide refunds to customers across
the U.S. who were quoted arrival dates before Christmas.

"I call on UPS to do the right thing and provide refunds to people
whose Christmases were a little less cheery as a result of their late
deliveries," he said.

Besides poor weather in many parts of the
country, the delays were blamed on systems overloaded by a shorter
holiday shopping period this year due to Thanksgiving falling so late in
November and more present-buying done online.

"We
had a shortened holiday season in terms of shopping: six fewer days and
a surge in online demand, particularly accelerated by a surge in mobile
devices," said Mark Mahaney, an online retail analyst. "Mobile
accounted to 40 percent of all Internet sales."

Neither UPS nor
FedEx said how many of its packages were delayed, but said it was a
small percentage of the Christmas shipments.

Scott Fielder, a spokesman for FedEx Corp, said FedEx handled 275 million shipments between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

"Our
300,000 team members were focused on safely delivering our customers
packages this holiday season and we are proud of their efforts," he said
in a statement Thursday. "We operated with very high service levels —
over 99 percent at FedEx Ground, for example — during our busiest time
of the year."

Later Thursday morning, FedEx downplayed the number of packages that were delayed.

"We
experienced no major service disruptions in the week before Christmas
despite heavy volume. Every single package is important to us, and we
will continue to work directly with customers to address any isolated
incidents," it said in another statement.

The U.S. Postal Service
said holiday volume jumped 19 percent over the same period last year, a
higher-than-expected package volume increase. Heavy volume was expected
to continue throughout the week.

Jay Erikson, a customer who took to FedEx's Facebook page to express
his frustration, was one of the unlucky ones who didn't get his parcels
on time.

"If you can't keep a promise, then don't make it. Thanks for nothing, FedEx," he wrote.

Amazon.com,
one of the nation's largest package shippers, cited UPS's "failure" in
an email to customers on Christmas morning. The online retailer said it
processed all orders on time and said it is compensating some customers
with $20 gift cards and refunds on shipping charges.

UPS issued another apology Thursday afternoon.

"UPS
apologizes to both shipping and receiving customers who may have
delays. We had additional sorting operations at Worldport, the UPS
international air hub in Louisville, Ky., on Christmas and are making
deliveries and pickups today," it said.

The shipper also posted a
service update on its website Thursday urging customers to track their
packages via UPS.com, and said, "UPS experienced heavy holiday volume
and is making every effort to get packages to their destination as
quickly as possible. UPS has resumed normally scheduled service on
December 26."

The UPS statement was released as complaints via social media continued to pile up.

"I
will never use UPS again... never!" Samuel Barnett wrote on the
company's Facebook page after his product from Apple didn't arrive by
Christmas, despite the fact he ordered it second-day air more than a
week earlier.

The reactions weren't all bad, though.

Heidi Grant, a North
Carolina mother of three who didn't receive her gifts in time, told
TODAY, "I guess the benefit is Christmas is going to last longer. [The
kids are] going to have more gifts to open in a couple of days."

And
on Twitter, others blamed procrastination of disappointed customers who
had taken to using the hashtag "UPSFail" to complain about not getting
their packages.

"People using #upsfail need to get a life," wrote @MrsKimSanders. "Order early next year!! Thank you UPS workers!!"

On Facebook, interspersed with the gripes at UPS were messages of gratitude for the workers.

"I
am grateful for UPS everyday of the year and a HUGE UPS fan, but seeing
MANY trucks out last night around 6 on Christmas Eve, I was most
grateful for you guys and prayed you all got home safe & sound soon
after I saw you," wrote Kelley Mansfield.

Added Hana Johnson, "We have the best UPS delivery man and I applaud
all the hours of work they have put in. Merry Christmas and thanks."

The
last time a significant number of UPS packages were late for Christmas
was in 2004, when an ice storm crippled the UPS distribution center in
Louisville, Ky. Employees manually loaded packages for days that year,
surprising customers with Christmas Day deliveries.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - A Republican lawmaker in Kentucky facing sexual assault allegations has committed suicide. Bullitt County Sheriff Donnie Tinnell says Rep. Dan Johnson shot himself Wednesday on a bridge in Mount Washington, Kentucky. Tinnell confirmed the death to WDRB-TV in Louisville. The 57-year-old Johnson was elected to the state legislature in 2016. On Monday, the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting published an account from a woman saying Johnson s...

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - A Republican lawmaker in Kentucky facing sexual assault allegations has committed suicide. Bullitt County Sheriff Donnie Tinnell says Rep. Dan Johnson shot himself Wednesday on a bridge in Mount Washington, Kentucky. Tinnell confirmed the death to WDRB-TV in Louisville. The 57-year-old Johnson was elected to the state legislature in 2016. On Monday, the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting published an account from a woman saying Johnson s...

FAIRFAX, Va. - If you think your commute is stressful, wait till you read this. After crashing his car during rush hour, police say a Fairfax, Virginia man began attacking the driver of the car he hit before stripping down to his birthday suit, and jumping on top of a truck. Police tell NBC News 4 in Washington, D.C. that 32-year-old Jose Gonzales Flores tried shattering windows of cars passing by before using a knife to stab the top of the truck.

FAIRFAX, Va. - If you think your commute is stressful, wait till you read this. After crashing his car during rush hour, police say a Fairfax, Virginia man began attacking the driver of the car he hit before stripping down to his birthday suit, and jumping on top of a truck. Police tell NBC News 4 in Washington, D.C. that 32-year-old Jose Gonzales Flores tried shattering windows of cars passing by before using a knife to stab the top of the truck.

JACKSON, Mississippi - A neighborhood in Jackson, Mississippi isn't letting a few potholes dull their holiday spirit. To fix the dilemma, they added a Christmas tree to cover the problem. The holiday timber was placed on top of the sinkhole along Poplar Boulevard. Residents say they did this because the city went weeks without repairing the street.

JACKSON, Mississippi - A neighborhood in Jackson, Mississippi isn't letting a few potholes dull their holiday spirit. To fix the dilemma, they added a Christmas tree to cover the problem. The holiday timber was placed on top of the sinkhole along Poplar Boulevard. Residents say they did this because the city went weeks without repairing the street.

As the world becomes more and more digital, Chrome Extensions are here to help you as you navigate the web. From Force Block to help you block all of those nasty Star Wars spoilers to a Christmas puppies and kittens countdown clock, here are our top five winners of the best Chrome Extensions.

As the world becomes more and more digital, Chrome Extensions are here to help you as you navigate the web. From Force Block to help you block all of those nasty Star Wars spoilers to a Christmas puppies and kittens countdown clock, here are our top five winners of the best Chrome Extensions.

(AP) - Snow shovels for sale at some Billings-area hardware stores have stickers to warn buyers about the symptoms of a heart attack. Billings Clinic provided the stickers, which urge people with symptoms such as chest pain, nausea, dizziness and unusual shortness of breath while shoveling to call 911. Chest Pain Clinic coordinator Kierra Knox says cold weather constricts blood vessels while the work of shoveling snow puts an increased demand on the heart.

(AP) - Snow shovels for sale at some Billings-area hardware stores have stickers to warn buyers about the symptoms of a heart attack. Billings Clinic provided the stickers, which urge people with symptoms such as chest pain, nausea, dizziness and unusual shortness of breath while shoveling to call 911. Chest Pain Clinic coordinator Kierra Knox says cold weather constricts blood vessels while the work of shoveling snow puts an increased demand on the heart.

(AP) - Higher rents are becoming an issue in Spokane County, where a new report says half of renters are spending over 30 percent of their income on rent. Rents in the Spokane market have increased notably over the past year and a half. That's according to Terri Anderson, co-director of the Spokane Tenants Union. The Spokesman-Review reports that rents in Spokane are rising while wages remain stagnant.

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(AP) - The reward for information regarding the killing of two wolves in northeastern Washington state has grown to $20,000. The Center for Biological Diversity and Cascadia Wildlands on Monday said they had doubled a previously announced reward by Conservation Northwest for information leading to conviction in the killing of the wolves.

(AP) - The reward for information regarding the killing of two wolves in northeastern Washington state has grown to $20,000. The Center for Biological Diversity and Cascadia Wildlands on Monday said they had doubled a previously announced reward by Conservation Northwest for information leading to conviction in the killing of the wolves.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - A Republican lawmaker in Kentucky facing sexual assault allegations has committed suicide. Bullitt County Sheriff Donnie Tinnell says Rep. Dan Johnson shot himself Wednesday on a bridge in Mount Washington, Kentucky. Tinnell confirmed the death to WDRB-TV in Louisville. The 57-year-old Johnson was elected to the state legislature in 2016. On Monday, the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting published an account from a woman saying Johnson s...

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - A Republican lawmaker in Kentucky facing sexual assault allegations has committed suicide. Bullitt County Sheriff Donnie Tinnell says Rep. Dan Johnson shot himself Wednesday on a bridge in Mount Washington, Kentucky. Tinnell confirmed the death to WDRB-TV in Louisville. The 57-year-old Johnson was elected to the state legislature in 2016. On Monday, the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting published an account from a woman saying Johnson s...

MARLIN, Wash. - Grant County deputies are asking the public for help finding 15-year-old James Friend. Friend was last seen in his hometown of Marlin (Grant County) Washington on December 2, 2017. He has not spoken with family or friends since then, nor has he communicated over social media. It is out of his character to not be in touch with family or friends.

MARLIN, Wash. - Grant County deputies are asking the public for help finding 15-year-old James Friend. Friend was last seen in his hometown of Marlin (Grant County) Washington on December 2, 2017. He has not spoken with family or friends since then, nor has he communicated over social media. It is out of his character to not be in touch with family or friends.

SPOKANE, Wash. - According to the U.S. Attorney for Eastern Washington, federal, state and local law enforcement conducted a large scale take-down targeting a criminal conspiracy distributing methamphetamine in Washington, Idaho and Montana on Wednesday. Hundreds of law enforcement officials including federal agents and state and local officers executed federal search warrants in Spokane, Moses Lake, Mattawa and in North Idaho.

SPOKANE, Wash. - According to the U.S. Attorney for Eastern Washington, federal, state and local law enforcement conducted a large scale take-down targeting a criminal conspiracy distributing methamphetamine in Washington, Idaho and Montana on Wednesday. Hundreds of law enforcement officials including federal agents and state and local officers executed federal search warrants in Spokane, Moses Lake, Mattawa and in North Idaho.

Calling all Chicken McNuggets fans: UberEats is delivering free nuggets from McDonald's to your doorstep, and we're loving it. What's the catch? It's Wednesday (Dec. 13) from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. It's only while supplies last. You have to pay the booking fee. How does it work? Open the UberEats app. click on the McDonald's closest to you. Add the special, free 10-piece Chicken McNuggets to your cart. Checkout. According to Business Insider, McDon...

Calling all Chicken McNuggets fans: UberEats is delivering free nuggets from McDonald's to your doorstep, and we're loving it. What's the catch? It's Wednesday (Dec. 13) from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. It's only while supplies last. You have to pay the booking fee. How does it work? Open the UberEats app. click on the McDonald's closest to you. Add the special, free 10-piece Chicken McNuggets to your cart. Checkout. According to Business Insider, McDon...

GRANT COUNTY, Wash. - The Grant County Health District has confirmed a new case of mumps in a Grant County health care worker. Grant County Health Officer Dr. Alexander Brzezny says the person is a vaccinated healthcare worker with a recent history of travel. The individual developed symptoms Dec. 2, which means the contagious period was from Nov. 30 through Dec. 7. During that period of time, the worker was at Samaritan

GRANT COUNTY, Wash. - The Grant County Health District has confirmed a new case of mumps in a Grant County health care worker. Grant County Health Officer Dr. Alexander Brzezny says the person is a vaccinated healthcare worker with a recent history of travel. The individual developed symptoms Dec. 2, which means the contagious period was from Nov. 30 through Dec. 7. During that period of time, the worker was at Samaritan

FAIRFAX, Va. - If you think your commute is stressful, wait till you read this. After crashing his car during rush hour, police say a Fairfax, Virginia man began attacking the driver of the car he hit before stripping down to his birthday suit, and jumping on top of a truck. Police tell NBC News 4 in Washington, D.C. that 32-year-old Jose Gonzales Flores tried shattering windows of cars passing by before using a knife to stab the top of the truck.

FAIRFAX, Va. - If you think your commute is stressful, wait till you read this. After crashing his car during rush hour, police say a Fairfax, Virginia man began attacking the driver of the car he hit before stripping down to his birthday suit, and jumping on top of a truck. Police tell NBC News 4 in Washington, D.C. that 32-year-old Jose Gonzales Flores tried shattering windows of cars passing by before using a knife to stab the top of the truck.

JACKSON, Mississippi - A neighborhood in Jackson, Mississippi isn't letting a few potholes dull their holiday spirit. To fix the dilemma, they added a Christmas tree to cover the problem. The holiday timber was placed on top of the sinkhole along Poplar Boulevard. Residents say they did this because the city went weeks without repairing the street.

JACKSON, Mississippi - A neighborhood in Jackson, Mississippi isn't letting a few potholes dull their holiday spirit. To fix the dilemma, they added a Christmas tree to cover the problem. The holiday timber was placed on top of the sinkhole along Poplar Boulevard. Residents say they did this because the city went weeks without repairing the street.

PEABODY, Mass. - An expecting father in Massachusetts has shown off his paternal glow with a pregnancy photo shoot. Peabody resident Nick Roberts surprised his pregnant girlfriend with the photos at their gender reveal party in June before their son Logan was born. Some of the photos show Roberts posing at a beach in the town of Nahant, cradling his visible belly.

PEABODY, Mass. - An expecting father in Massachusetts has shown off his paternal glow with a pregnancy photo shoot. Peabody resident Nick Roberts surprised his pregnant girlfriend with the photos at their gender reveal party in June before their son Logan was born. Some of the photos show Roberts posing at a beach in the town of Nahant, cradling his visible belly.